Tales of KOTOR: Completing the Circle
by Dante-Raven
Summary: KOTOR II: One Shot LSM Exile is getting ready to meet the Jedi Masters in the rebuilt Enclave on Dantooine. HandmaidenExile romance where she tries to dissuade him from going. From Trillian4210's Forums!


Star Wars

Tale of Knights of the Old Republic

Completing the Circle

**Author's Notes: One Shot; LSM Exile is getting ready to meet the Jedi Masters in the rebuilt Enclave on Dantooine. Handmaiden/Exile romance; where she tries to dissuade him not to go. This is from Trillian4210's Forums once more! If you want to request a fic, go right there and you'll get it!**

* * *

"Come now," she said to him as they stood inside the cold, dark room, "it is time." Her voice was dry and raspy, almost as if she were more dead than alive.

But then again, the events that had transpired in her life made it that much harder to determine if Kreia was as dead as her former student, Sion.

Oberon Kisho shrugged and watched as the dark clad blind woman left the ship. His gaze shifted to the grid-metallic floor. _So, this is what it all comes down to_, he thought ruefully. _I've found the Masters and gathered them all to the one place that I had trained all my life. _He lifted his head and trudged slowly through the corridors of the grounded _Ebon Hawk_.

_Now I go to face my destiny once more. _

_Now I go to face the emptiness within me._

He continued to walk past the main hold, watching as T3 held a conversation with the trigger-happy HK-47. Oberon watched as a small image of Dantooine appeared on the table's holoprojector.

_Dantooine_, he thought sadly. _The one true home I was never meant to call my own_. He continued to walk down the ramp, feeling the cool breeze of the planet's wind.

The fresh air coursed along his rough, bearded face, causing him to bring one hand to touch it.

It had felt like an eternity since he had shaved.

He walked down through the ramp, his heavy boots clanking against it.

He paused and looked at his boots.

He looked up and saw no sign of Kreia.

It struck him odd that she was far more excited to see the Masters than he.

The last time he had seen them, he had almost been tempted to kill them for ignoring his reasons to go to war and aid the Republic.

He had been a young fool at that time.

Now he was an older fool.

_I doubt she would begrudge me a moment or two to change my clothes into something far more respectable_, he thought. _Besides, it would afford me a chance to appear more of what I once was._ He turned around and sought to change into his old robes. After so many years, he still managed to keep them with him.

As he began to race back towards his dormitory, he was stopped by a figure, clad in white and whose expression was both a mixture of worry and love. He looked at her and he admired her icy blue eyes, her snow-white hair and pale, almost porcelain skin.

"Brianna," he breathed, much softer than he had expected. He had never gotten used to her presence. It was always inviting and intoxicating to him, even before he had met her on Telos.

She raised a brow, her hands clenched tightly against her white robes. On her belt dangled a silver hilt, modeled after her Handmaiden's staff.

Oberon, however, knew otherwise.

"You're going to the Enclave?" She asked, after a few more moments. She too had never stopped feeling intoxicated around his presence. She had attempted to hide her feelings, but as time would have it, they were revealed.

Oberon nodded, "yes, I am going."

"You will face the reproach of three Masters. My training is not yet complete," she said, her eyes shifting to the ground. "I would like to come with you—as a means of proving that you have been true to the Jedi and that you are worthy of redemption."

Oberon pursed his lips for a moment and breathed in sharply. "I cannot allow that, my dear Brianna." His voice was filled with regret, but it contained the stern order of an experienced commander.

Her eyes shot up to him. "And why not? Surely they will realize you are worthy of redemption! You stopped a civil war, a hostile takeover and ended the bounty on Jedi!"

"Yet I have gone against the oaths I made whilst I was in the Order. I went to war, I killed many people, I was responsible for the destruction of a planet as well as the fact I'm no Jedi and I've begun to train Force-Sensitives. Surely they will see _that_ as a threat." Oberon shook his head. "No, I'm afraid if you come with me, Brianna, you'd do more harm than good. These are Masters for a reason. I chose not to trust in their wisdom at one time, I will not make that mistake again."

She looked at him pleadingly, "but why?"

"They will see _you_ and everyone else on board the _Hawk_ as a threat to them if you arrive. They're wise and they can tell that you are loyal to me, not the Jedi Order nor the mandates of which the Jedi stand for." His eyes and look was pleading. "Please, understand that I am doing this for your sake and not mine."

Brianna felt her heart sink, "they're Masters, Oberon! They will not turn us away so swiftly."

"You're an adult, Brianna," the Exile replied. "They will turn you away—and worse, they might strip you of the Force."

She gasped, taking a step back. The Force was a gift from her mother—an inherited gift albeit—and it gave her a sparkling sense of wonder, as well as reveal to her what her true destiny was. To be stripped of something so marvelous would be as close to murdering countless innocents like the Sith.

"You see," he continued, taking her hand and walking towards the dormitory, "I am an echo of the Force. I am drawing you all towards me. I am on par with Visas' own Master, yet I've begun to tap into my new connection through the Force. My bond with Kreia allows me to teach you and the others the ways of the Force. But if they ever find out, they might expel you for the wrong reasons." They sat down on their cot, her hands in his. "I am doing this to protect you, my dear. If I could have you standing by my side, I would, but I cannot."

She looked deflated, obviously understanding his reasons, not just through his words, but also through the flow of the Force.

If the Masters were to see her and the others as a threat, they would certainly bring harm to them.

All Oberon wanted was to finally have some answers without causing any more pain and suffering to those around him.

It was even evident to her that the Exile even cared for the Masters; despite the fact they might have stripped him of the Force so long ago.

She knew though, that if it had come down to the lives of the Masters and Oberon, she'd rather save Oberon and leave them to their fates.

The Force was strong in him from the beginning.

Not even being stripped of the Force could hold him back from regaining his perceptions.

But she could feel another presence inside him.

There was something insidious to the Force that had seen its rebirth within him.

She knew that not only did he have a bond to her, but also he had a bond to almost everyone inside the _Ebon Hawk_.

And it all started with Kreia.

Her eyes narrowed. _Kreia_. Brianna was more than positive that it had something to do with her.

Oberon faced her and leaned in, kissing her soft cheek and holding his lips there for a moment longer. "I will be back soon, my Love," he whispered into her ear. "I won't let anything happen to me and I certainly won't let anything happen to you."

She nodded; satisfied that he would fulfill that promise.

She'd keep her eye on Kreia.

The only variable that had drawn everyone together and had woven the events that had led down to this one defining moment. "Don't go," she said, changing her tactics.

"And why not?" He asked her, his voice was soft, quiet and most of all, tender.

"Kreia—this is her doing. She is only using you to achieve her own goals."

He nodded, "perhaps, but she is also someone who has unfinished business with the Masters. She has helped us bring us to this point—this is where I am certain she will show her true colours." He looked away for a moment, almost as if he were distant, wishing hopefully for something that could never occur. "Perhaps she will make her peace with the Masters and show them the truth of what they will face if they choose to stand against us."

Sensing that she was now losing the direction of her argument, she looked him in the eye and said, with all emotion, "don't go. They will pull your newfound strength from you."

Oberon couldn't be sure which strength she was referring to, but he knew that this would have to come to a rest here and now. If she attempted to dissuade him, she would continue to prolong what has been prolonged for almost 10 years. He needed to see the Masters and he needed to address the new Sith threat as well as finding some answers to his affliction. "I'm sorry, Brianna, but I have to go. This is my destiny—the fulcrum—and I must face this alone."

"But you're not alone—Kreia will go with you."

He sighed, "true, but her words will have the weight that will give the Masters reason to believe us."

Brianna sighed, almost as if she were deflated.

He cupped her face in his hands as he stared longingly into her eyes. "I will come back, believe me, Brianna. I've never let you down and I refuse to allow that to happen now."

She nodded, feeling placated, though she felt the biting feeling in her gut. She knew that she would have to keep an eye on Oberon, and she wouldn't allow any harm to come to him. Oberon was the one man she loved more than anything and she'd be damned if she would sit by and let him come to any harm. She tightened her fists in resolve and felt his lips touch hers for a moment, as they embraced one another.

Oberon, feeling her resolve strengthen, smiled as he pulled away from her soft lips, sensing that she believed him. _She will understand_, he thought, as he touched her forehead and whispered, "rest."

Brianna found her eyes growing heavy and found her body moving to the cot, under the careful and loving touch of Oberon, her Exile. Despite any protest, the overwhelming urge to close her eyes had won out. She wanted to go with him, but she could feel her body weigh down with weariness she hadn't felt since she had first begun to spar with him. Her mind began to drift as she felt the warmth of darkness take her, despite the small voice in the back of her head screaming at her to wake up.

Oberon rose, sighing as he brought his golden tanned hand to run through his oak coloured hair. "Perhaps I shouldn't shave at all," he murmured to no one in particular. He disrobed and picked up his ancient white coloured Jedi robes. He threw it on, muttering, "this takes me back some years." He hooked the brown belt to his tunic and breeches, as he clipped his lightsaber to it.

Pausing for a moment more, he removed his lightsaber and ignited it, watching the glowing blue blade. His eyes shifted to a sleeping Brianna, who had rolled over to her side, exposing only her back.

"I won't let anything happen," he promised, deactivating the blade and clipping it to his belt. Turning around, he walked out and left the _Ebon_ _Hawk_, feeling the cool breeze of the tranquil planet greet him.

"I'm coming home," he said, smiling as he touched the very essence of the planet.

He crossed through the plains, and watched a rebuilt Jedi Enclave, which caused his heart to leap. _I'm truly home_. Almost as if he were ten again, Oberon smiled and raced through the fields, eager to reach the grove within the Enclave.

He entered through the main entrance and raced through the dark, dim-lit corridors, to stop in front of a stoic Kreia.

"Having difficulties arriving here, were you?"

He could sense the brow that had been raised with his change of clothing.

Even if she were blind, she could still perceive his new change.

"Perhaps," he replied, "but nonetheless, I would wish to make my appearance to the Masters once more."

"Are you so eager to repeat history?"

"I am eager to gain answers, Kreia. The last time I checked, you were the one who was very eager to see the Masters."

She remained silent for a moment, and then she walked towards the circular fountain they had stopped near, her hand touching the small stream of silver water. "It's been so long, Oberon. You are the one who they wish to see. I shall remain here, until the time comes for me to be seen."

Not quite sure what she was trying to tell him, Oberon bowed and said, "very well, Kreia. I will leave you to your own designs, as usual. I will see the Masters and gain the answers we both seek." He turned and left, calmly walking towards the Master grove where three of the four Masters were present.

Kreia, as usual, said nothing.

It didn't occur to him that she might have been smiling.

* * *

Brianna woke up some time after he had left. She shot up, her eyes wide with horror as she realized he was gone, not just from the dormitory, but from the touch in the Force.

"Kreia!" She hissed. The old woman was not to be trusted and the Echani didn't like it when she pushed everyone to achieve her own designs.

For now, Brianna could only hope that she wasn't too late to make sure Oberon was safe.

She didn't care about the fact that she would reveal herself as an initiate. Her only concern was Oberon.

The Masters would have to understand that.

So would Oberon.

She raced off the ship, nearly bowling over Atton in the process, who collided into a grumbling HK-47.

"Hey! Watch it!" He cried, only to watch her kicking up dust as she raced to the Enclave. _What's her problem?_

She continued to race towards the Enclave, only to stop as she saw Kreia walking towards her, slowly but with purpose.

If Kreia had been surprised by her presence, she made no sign of it.

"Where's Oberon?" Brianna demanded.

Kreia felt the Handmaiden's turmoil and fears. _It is time to complete this chain of events. He has failed me, just like the others_. _There is still one more piece, and perhaps she might be of some success once her eyes are truly open_. "He is…gone."

Brianna's eyes opened wide in horror as Kreia stressed the final word. "What do you mean?" She brought her hand to the hilt and with ease; she ignited one button, revealing a viridian blade on one end.

"He is dead, along with the Masters. There is only one left now," she replied, her dry voice full of weariness for the first time.

"You murdered a Jedi!" She activated the other end of her blade. _You murdered my Oberon!_ She brought her blade up, ready to cut down the old woman, when she felt the heavy weight of compulsion stay her hand.

"I have. You should take me to your Mistress Atris. She is the only one left now. She will deliver the proper judgment."

Brianna felt herself torn away and suddenly found a heavy calm. "You're right. I will not kill you. Come with me, we're going to Telos."

"Very well," Kreia said, dipping her hooded head. "You are very wise."

Brianna felt an emptiness overwhelm her and deactivated the blade, escorting Kreia away from the Enclave.

Kreia could only smile.

She had preyed on Brianna's weaknesses and overwhelmed her mental defences.

She would go to Telos and complete her legacy there.

Oberon would be sure to follow, providing he survived the life-drain she had cast on him.

He was strong, but he was not finished yet. Kreia had seen to that too.

For now, she would guide the circle.

Soon things would be drawn to a close.


End file.
